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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum THE LOUNGE How many of us have rabbits and dog(s)?

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    • katiep
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        Hey Everyone, now that we have this house, we are thinking of adopting a dog.  I just wanted to know, how many of you have rabbits and dogs?  Do you have any pictures of them together?  Any tips for introductions or selecting a dog?  My parents had a dog when I lived with them and he had no problems with Rupert, just a mild interest.  Has anyone experienced certain breeds are better or worse with rabbits?  My bunny babies are my first priority, but i’m hoping everyone just gets along great! 


      • Monkeybun
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          I wouldn’t go for any terrier types, or hunting dogs. That would likely be a bad idea. Quite a few member shave pups as well as buns, although I am not one of them


        • Andi
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            I had my dog and rabbits together, she recently passed away due to cancer, but her bunnies were her babies.
            Here are some pictures of her and bunnies plus otehr critters – http://thewhizz.weebly.com/ (Sites not been updated).


          • katiep
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              monkeybun- i was thinking that too, only thing i was worried about is that all dogs kind of have the “hunting” instinct….I think we are going to try and go with some kind of mix and hope that the instincts are blanced out.
              andi- i’m sorry for your loss, that is the part of pet ownership that I absolutely hate! thanks for the website pics all your animals are adorable!! It’s nice to know that a dog can get along with rabbits and can consider them her “babies”!


            • Kiley Rose
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                My mom got a rescue 2 yr old shiba inu/chihuahua mix a little after I got Nixie. The dog and Nixie like playing with eachother, I just started them out with Nix in an xpen and Gracie ran around and around it. So cute, now they can be in the room together, Nix likes running back and forth under Gracie. But Gracie really only comes in my room to check for bunny food/treats/toys laying on the ground that she can steal. Marlee just gives the dog a look and the dog literally runs…haha.


              • jennyrabbit
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                  I would just go to a rescue, and many have them tested to see if they are cat safe, if they are cat safe, then making them rabbit safe shouldnt be an issue I have 7 dogs and a free range rabbit.


                • Elrohwen
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                    Monkey, I would just say that not all hunting dogs are alike. Retrievers, pointers, and spaniels are bred to find game, but not actually kill it – in my experience they’re pretty easy to train to be around cats (and other small animals by extension) because they’re bred to listen to a hunter and not approach game animals until signaled. Hounds are a little tricky, because they hunt a bit more independently, but I know a lot who don’t have the killing instinct. I think terriers are the worst, since they’re bred to hunt *and* kill, without following the lead of a human hunter. Not to say they’re impossible, just trickier.

                    We don’t have a dog yet, but we plan to get one in a few years after we buy a house. We’re planning to get a Brittany, which is a hunting dog, in the pointer family.

                    Jenny, I also agree that most dogs that are good with cats will probably be pretty easy to train around bunnies. We’re definitely going to look for a cat friendly dog, because that will increase the chances of bun-friendliness.


                  • MirBear
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                      Posted By Kiley Rose on 08/04/2010 06:57 PM

                      My mom got a rescue 2 yr old shiba inu/chihuahua mix a little after I got Nixie. The dog and Nixie like playing with eachother, I just started them out with Nix in an xpen and Gracie ran around and around it. So cute, now they can be in the room together, Nix likes running back and forth under Gracie. But Gracie really only comes in my room to check for bunny food/treats/toys laying on the ground that she can steal. Marlee just gives the dog a look and the dog literally runs…haha.

                      shiba inu  i love them
                       

                       


                    • jennyrabbit
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                        I think terriers are the worst, since they’re bred to hunt *and* kill, without following the lead of a human hunter. Not to say they’re impossible, just trickier.

                        actually, no terrier’s are NOT bred to just dive in a kill without lead of humane hunter, SIGHTHOUNDS however are, they are bred to simpley run, catch, kill and return, humans had nothing to do with it. the only thing Terriers have ever been bred to simply kill is rats, everything else, they locate, go to ground and BOLT, the HUNTER kills, a Terrier that dives in and attacks is a dead or seriously injured terrier lol


                      • Barbie
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                          Just wanted to weigh in on this since the dog-bunny household seems to be a hot topic here on BB recently….

                          Here’s a recent thread: https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aff/2/aft/111220/afv/topic/Default.aspx

                          This is an older one (just a reminder, please don’t reply to old/outdated theads) https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aff/2/aft/89171/afv/topic/Default.aspx

                          Anyway, here’s my two cents since I got a dog less than 3 months ago. Before I adopted him I made SURE he was ok around the bunnies. Every shelter is different (and, sidebar, I HIGHLY recommend that you look for a dog at shelter or a rescue) but because the shelter I got Nick from is a dog only facility, they didn’t know how he did around cats…. They had a quiet room in the back and I was able to come back the next day with the bunnies in tow. We set up a pen and one of the employees helped hold Nick while I dealt with the bunnies, but Nick showed only mild interest in the bunnies and the bunnies just sat and munched their hay so I knew the relationship at least had a shot.

                          Nick is a mix of something, I have no idea what, and yes breed traits do play a large role in predicting how a dog and bunny will get along; however, it’s not everything. I wouldn’t ever recommend a terrier or hound just because they were bred to hunt and kill “vermin” like rats and rabbits.  Though it could work – there are exceptions to every rule! Although many people say that labs are ok around bunnies, my parents have a lab (Teddy) and he is WAYYYYY too intense around rabbits. I don’t live with them, but out of curiosity I tried a similar intro several months ago, before I got Nick, and Teddy was absolutely uncontrollable and barking at Leroy. Teddy is usually obedient and not a barker – never has been – I’ve never even heard him bark at a dog or a cat. He doesn’t chase cats either. So keep that in mind… cats aren’t the same as bunnies and dogs may have different reactions to them.

                          Back to my dog-bunny household. If you get a dog, DEFINITELY make sure you can control him with commands before starting the dog-bunny intros. Also go slooooooooooooowwwwwwllllllyyyyyyyyy. Set the dog up to succeed, so don’t put him in a position that he could possibly react badly – you don’t want to always have to tell him “No!” and to restrain him because then he’ll just see the bunnies as a source of frustration. For the first month the bunnies and Nick were rarely in the same room together and when they were one or the other was in a cage/pen. I’ve just now graduated Nick to being allowed in the room when the bunnies are in their pen or when I’m standing up and holding one bunny. Nick usually comes in, gives a cursory sniff to the bunnies (and they sniff back – it’s the cutest thing to see them touch noses through the bars!), he snarfs down the stray poos that were flung out of the pen and then goes about his own business. Still, I never leave Nick alone with the bunnies and probably never will. He doesn’t bother them and doesn’t get overly excited, but things can happen in an instant.

                          Just be careful with the dog and bunnies until you know how the dog will react, and do as much research and preparation as you can before bringing a dog home. Test the dog out with bunnies, if possible.  And during any sessions with the bunny and dog, stay calm.  Your anxiety, fear, stress, whatever, will rub off on both the dog and bunny and make the situation worse.

                          Whew, long post.  Sorry!


                        • katiep
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                            Thanks for the advice everyone, I kinda felt the same about hunting dogs but I know every dog is really a case by case basis.  Here is a pic of the little guy i’m looking at….I’m going to try and see him tomorrow and bring my rabbit Rupert because he is fairly calm, easy to handle, and has been around dogs before.  Then, if he passes that test then my husband and I are going to go see him on Saturday and possibly adopt him if all goes well.  Here is  the pic


                          • Sonn
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                              I have 4 indoor dogs and my 2 rabbits. I have never had any issues. My dogs are more afraid of my rabbits than anything lol. They are all mutts one is a chi / dachshund / pom mix, one is a german shepherd / hound / etc. mix one is a border collie mix with strong herding instincts and one is a shiba inu / husky / pit bull mix. BUT my dogs are very well trained the chi mix is stubborn but when you tell them to leave something that is the end of it.

                              My rabbits climb all over my dogs chase them and steal their toys and I have never seen one chase or growl or herd them.

                              Would I leave them alone even for a second? Not in a million years lol. I trust my dogs but I also know dogs very well and know it only takes a second for something to go seriously wrong.


                            • Karla
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                                I got one dog and 3 bunnies. The dog is a Greek street dog, so I know nothing of his background. I have had him for 2 months, and so far the bunnies and the dog are not allowed out at the same time in our apartment. I train him to be calm around the bunnies by having him in a leash and have him in a down-position. And then we just sit there and look at the bunnies, while I praise him and give treats for staying calm. It is working alright, and the bunnies go very close to him to sniff him.

                                If he gets too excited, we finish the session immediately.

                                Next step will be to sit with one of the bunnies on the lap and let him sniff them, because I think most of his excitement about them is caused by the fact that he cannot get close to them and find out what they are.

                                But I think there is a long way ahead of us before he can be without a leash around the bunnies.


                              • Moonlight_Wolf
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                                  I have two dogs and two bunnies and one of the dogs is a cairn terrier so…. But we just are sure to keep him away from the bunnies. The other one, Cairn terrier poodle mix is great with the bunnies, he loves them and we think that he thinks they are just small dogs.


                                • Barbie
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                                    He is ADORABLE! Don’t get your heart too set on him though… When I was looking for a dog it took me forever. I went in once with a list of 10 or so dogs that I wanted to see and literally all but 2 had been adopted THAT DAY! In fact, a couple of the dogs I was interested in got adopted while I was in the lobby waiting for a shelter employee to help me! Anyway, I ended up with the right dog – and he wasn’t even on my top 20 list initially… I even walked past his cage several times and made several visits to the shelter to look at other dogs before even spending time with Nick 

                                    I don’t know what your situation is, but if you can make two or three trips to the shelter, I’d recommend that you go to see the dog first without Rupert. You need to get a feel for the dog, his energy level, personality, etc. before introducing another variable (Rupert). And you’ll probably want to spend time with several dogs before making a decision. I only brought my bunnies in at the last visit when I was to the point of “I’m adopting this dog unless he seems too intense/interested/aggressive around the bunnies”. That way, I put the bunnies under the least amount of stress possible and they only had to meet one dog.


                                  • katiep
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                                      So I made trip number 2 today with Rupert in tow. Rupert was not as excited about the trip as much as I was but he humored me. We got to the shelter and one of the volunteers brought the dog outside to meet us. He seemed to remember me and made a bee-line in full tug on the leash to come and say hi! At first we left Rupert in his carrier to make sure there wasn’t any obvious aggression or obsession. After 5 minutes of the dog being mildly interested (more interested in me and getting pet) I took Rupert out of the carrier and gave the dog just enough leash to touch nose to butt. When there wasn’t any aggression we gave a little more lead and Rupert got a wet kiss on his butt, he wasn’t happy about that either. Another kiss later and the dog just ignoring Rupert I figured it was a very good sign and we ended the meeting. If he hits it off with my husband on Saturday we will be taking him home that day. He just has to make it without getting adopted for less than an hour today and all day tomorrow and we will be there first thing Saturday morning ready and willing to adopt! I’m so nervous he will be adopted! Keep your fingers crossed for us! If it was meant to be it will be!


                                    • Deleted User
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                                        This comes up pretty regularly in the forums. Any breed of dog can kill a rabbit, and the important thing here is to prevent this by never leaving them unsupervised together. Some people come home one day to find the rabbit escaped and was shredded by their dog… who is then deemed aggressive.

                                        It has little to do with breed but much to do with the owner’s understanding of their dog and rabbit, as well, a dog & rabbit household needs to have proper setup to keep everybody safe.

                                        I can’t say any sighthound will be a bad fit for a rabbit household as I personally know a lady with an angora rabbit free-range who also owns a retired racing Greyhound whom she gentled with her rabbit.

                                        One of my own dogs, neither terrier nor sighthound, was crazy excited over my rabbit when I got my first. She was nuts. She wanted to chase him, squash him and shake him… After six month’s training, she changed and is no longer interested in my rabbits, and each new rabbit that she met, took maybe a half hour for her to accept.

                                        I hope it works out for you katiep! Just be patient.


                                      • jennyrabbit
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                                          can’t say any sighthound will be a bad fit for a rabbit household as I personally know a lady with an angora rabbit free-range who also owns a retired racing Greyhound whom she gentled with her rabbit.

                                          oh I agree, I have a lurcher who is fine with my rabbit and I pl;an to adopt a retired racer one day :p I just personally would be more leery of Sighthounds then Terriers, simpley because sighthounds are known for getting focased on something and handler is of no existence to them, plus they are FAST lol


                                        • katiep
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                                            So, I did end up getting a puppy! We have had him for over a week now……and to be honest, I have mix feelings. He is a rescue so we have issues to work out so he has been ALOT of work because of his severe separation anxiety and he doesn’t have “manners” per say, and gets too riled up and starts biting. Which is why there has been NO interaction between the two pet species, which means, to top it all off, the bunnies have had just about no time out which has cause me extreme guilt and have broken down in tears over forcing them through this situation. On a nightly basis I feel like crying between the guilt of the rabbits losing out on interaction and time out and because he has such issues and I contemplate trying to find him a new home or taking him back to the shelter. I feel incredible guilty over these feelings too. When he is a good dog, he is a very sweet and loving dog! But when he is a bad dog, he gets angry, scared, and almost vicious and it is scary to me. He lunged at my sister the second day he was here because she approached him very quickly on the floor while he was with his toy and he lunged and my husband this evening because he was too riled up. I don’t want to have to worry about my dog biting me, my family, friends, pets or strangers, but I don’t want to give up on him like his previous owners did and further mess him up. I’m not sure what to do to correct his issues either. Any suggestions, help, encouragment would be greatly appreciated!


                                          • jerseygirl
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                                              Does the shelter have anyone you can work with on behaviours? I think having an outside person might be useful. It’s early days and behaviour can be worked on. You’ve literally just moved house which is stressful in itself. No wonder you’re feeling it. As for the bunnies, having some containment in their new habitat is not necessarily a bad thing directly after a move.
                                              I don’t know if this will help specifically, but one thing to do is daily long walks. Walking him is so important in bonding and gaining the upper hand with him. Also the exercise will help him mentally and tire him so excess energy doesn’t get diverted into unwanted behaviours. Establish a strong routine with the walk gives so many benefits and a more sure foundation in which to work with him on specific problems.  It could also help in your own stress and all the better because he probably reacts to his owners stress.  I’ll leave it to those more knowledgable to help you but that’s my main suggestion – walks! Simple but effective.

                                              Hang in there!


                                            • katiep
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                                                Thanks for the quick reply jerseygirl, it means alot to see a response! We have been trying to keep him on at least hour walks daily with the exception of extreme heat 90+ or thunderstorms. We are planning on taking him to the Petsmart behavior trainning class but I’m so worried his “aggressive tendencies” can’t be fixed and then we have to make the tough decision to keep him or not. What even makes me feel worse is I was so critical of people who I saw that they seemed to think animals are expendable and can be “thrown away” and being harsh about someone who would give up an animal to a shelter but here I am feeling very hypocritical considering giving him up. My friends and family have been pretty supportive and they remind me that every day should get better and he IS just a puppy so its not going to be fixed overnight and we have seen progress but it still doesn’t help my poor bunny babies…. I can’t tell them “Well, he is getting better so maybe a month or more from now you will all get time like you did before, just hang in there!” I guess we will just take it day by day….


                                              • jerseygirl
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                                                  Sorry, I edited my reply just now.

                                                  An hour each day is great! Your feelings of guilt are probably not helping you Katie! Your bunnies will be ok. It was always going to be a change for them at this time anyway. Reach out for the help with him. His anxiety may be behind the aggression. Taking leadership & control with him and establishing routine will help his anxiety.


                                                • LizzieKnittyBun
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                                                    I think Jerseygirl is right on the mark with the exercise thing, and it’s great that you’re doing so well with it!

                                                    I’ve been thinking about your situation… there’s a reason why people like us join up on places like Binky Bunny. We love and respect animals. I imagine there’s a part of all of who wants to save every animal who has ever been abandoned, abused, or hurt in any way, but we just can’t. I admire you for taking this leap of faith with your new puppy, and please don’t beat yourself up about it if things don’t go smoothly for a long while… or ever. You’re trying to love and help an animal who has probably had some bad experiences in his young life.


                                                  • jerseygirl
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                                                      Just bumping up Katie’s thread here. She posted the other day as she was experiencing some problems. Any input appreciated. I hope you’re feeling a bit better about things Katie.


                                                    • katiep
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                                                        Thanks jerseygirl! Things have been a bit better but I still feel really bad about not letting the bunnies out. Its just very difficult with a dog with separation anxiety as we can’t just leave him outside for an hour while we at least give one bunny out a day he cries, whines, barks, and jumps at the door and i’m afraid to annoy my new neighbors. He is getting better each day, potty training is coming along….slowly…. but he is still nippy and if he is not happy about something he is going to tell you! As I type he is peeking over my laptop and trying to push it out of the way so he can sit on my lap. He is not interested in interacting with my husband because he is calling him over and i’m not paying attention, hence why he wants my attention. Any ideas from anyone on how to give the bunnies time and deal with a dog with these kinds of needs let me know!


                                                      • jennyrabbit
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                                                          have you looked into doggy daycare? its great for SA dogs, plus when they come home they are easier to work with as they are calmer and more focased.


                                                        • Deleted User
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                                                            I don’t know if you have already started this, but I would begin crate-training him. It might be hard but it is worth it! He will cry and protest but he will learn to be comfortable in the crate. Crate training helps with potty training, separation anxiety and will help give the rabbits their exercise time back. Be prepared for a lot of fussing from him in the beginning but with the right steps you can get him used to a crate. Start out with short crate sessions, have one of your worn seaters in the crate for him to feel that it is a good place. When you close the crate’s gate on him and he starts freaking out, act calmly as if nothing at all is going on… but stay in the room, you can sit by the crate and let him sniff your hand through the gate… he must stay in the crate until he calms down. Don’t make it a big event for him to come out. As a rule, the more excited your dog is, the calmer you must appear as dogs ‘fuel up’ on their person’s emotions. You can build up the time he spends in the crate until you can even leave the room. Each phase may bring with it a new series of protest from him but don’t let him wear you down. The crate training is in his interest as separation anxiety is very stressful for any dog but once trained for the crate, he won’t have to suffer through it any longer.

                                                            When crate-training,  walk him first, then crate him. The hardest part is when you actually start leaving the house with your pup crated. Their howling can your heart apart. They do stop though and a crate-trained dog is a breeze to manage.

                                                            I found that many dogs prefer the wire crates over the plastic ones, possibly because they can see out of the wire ones better.


                                                          • Click & Treat Bunny
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                                                              Katiep, I’m a dog trainer, so I thought I’d give you some tips. 😉 First off, how old is the puppy? Is this a young puppy or an older puppy, more like an adolescent which can be anywhere from 6 months-1 1/2 years, depending on the breed dog. Does he have any history on him at all, for example why he was given up?

                                                              Anyway, it sounds like there’s a lot of things going on with some anxiety, excitability, etc. Like Petzy mentioned, I’d definitely try using a crate but gradually introduce slowly. If he already has anxiety or has never been in a crate, it may be a little harder. But with training, it is certainly possible. Crates are great for many things just as Petzy said. Mine are trained to go in crates for feeding times, kongs, bones, etc. Crates are + things for them.

                                                              A few other things I’d suggest off the top of my head are interactive toys. It’s a great way to provide mental stimulation for your puppy. Daily exercise is of course important and socialization as well as long as it is positive experiences.

                                                              As for his “aggression,” I can’t say for sure whether it is or not since I haven’t met the dog, know the situations, etc., but a lot of aggression is based out of fear. With the example you mentioned where he lunged at your sister when he was with your toy could be some resource guarding issues. There are ways to teach that, making it a positive experience for them.

                                                              Also, keep in mind too that any dog you rescue, it can take anywhere for 3-6 months to truly acclimate to the new environment. We call this the “honeymoon” period.

                                                              As for your bunnies, it’s of course going to be an adjustment. The biggest thing is to keep everyone safe first. If you do use the crate and/or x-pen, you can always reward the puppy for calm behaviors whenever he may see the bunnies. Basic manners will help too, like “downs,” leave it,” “gentle,” that type of thing and also teaching what we call impulse control exercises. I’d just make sure your bunnies are getting plenty of pets, strokes, etc. so they may not feel neglected.

                                                              The other thing I would say rereading your last comment is that it sounds like he is a bit pushy, and well ,if you allow that, when he gets older, it will only become worse. When I see that type of behavior, I use NFF (Nothing for Free) which essentially means asking them to do something before being petted, going outside, etc. It can be as simple as a sit first. This is also a good impulse control exercise. Also with him wanting your attention, I use a lot of ignoring with that, as attention is just rewarding to a dog. I will reward the calm behavior/not being pushy for attention.

                                                              By the way, out of curiosity, where are you in OH? You can PM if you want. I’m nearby, so that is why I’m asking. We hold classes at our facility which is solely based on positive reinforcement and operant conditioning, using the clicker.

                                                              Sorry for the long post. It’s a complex subject with many variables!


                                                            • Kokaneeandkahlua
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                                                                Add me to the mix!

                                                                I got Mikey (dog) when I had four bunnies. My bunnies have a bedroom and tbh I had ZERO expecatations of them getting along-especially after we brought Mikey home and he thought they were food (as in trotted excitedly to their door and back to me, requesting to be let in).

                                                                From what we can tell he’s a herding dog-heeler/corgi-at least by looks. But in reality (and that goes to show breed does not dictate everything) he’s VERY VERY drivey-as in has a high prey drive. In fact higher then my parents husky. He’s caught two ducks and a mouse…it’s hard when you look at him to see how very fast, very smart and very driven he is!

                                                                So when we brought him home I figured MAYBE he would be at least settled with them in the room away from him.

                                                                I went VERY slow-only allowing him to smell them from under the door, and them to smell him on me when I came into their room.
                                                                We progressed to allowing him to smell them in my arms-for instance I’d take Rupert out and hold him and sit on the couch and Mikey could smell him.
                                                                Then I allowed him in their room when they weren’t in there (each pair were in a bathroom while I cleaned their bedroom) so he could get the full deal on smell and explore, without seeing them. THis kept his arousal level down.

                                                                Eventually I left their door open (with gate of course) over night.

                                                                And then for a few hours during the day.

                                                                When Chuck was sick I had to move him and Noot into the living room. Mikey sat watch over them overnight and during the day like they were his babies. He’d wake me up when I needed to be up to attend.

                                                                Looking back, I would NEVER have thought he’d be ok around them ever. And we worked HARD at it.

                                                                However, where a bunny could run (Which elicits an autonomic chase response) I wouldn’t trust him, because that’s not fair to him. He was good to watch Chuck and Noot because they weren’t going anywhere-AND I would have awoken hearing any excitement. I would never leave any of my buns free ranging in the house where things could get exciting when Im not home.

                                                                So speaking from my experience, I think ANY dog could be trained to be good around bunnies and in the right situation do very well. But remember, you don’t let the fox guard the henhouse-be careful always.

                                                                In so far as choosing a dog who is good around rabbits-don’t pick any of the hunters (terriers etc) and try to choose a dog who is listed as good around children and cats, as not chasing and harrasing cats, and being trustable around children (In general this means they aren’t mouthy) is a start in the right direction

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                                                            Forum THE LOUNGE How many of us have rabbits and dog(s)?